DIY Pet Accident Removal Guide

How to Remove Pet Stains Before

They Become A Problem

A practical guide that will keep you and your pet on good terms.

Inside:

4 Easy Steps To Remove a Pet Stain

The One Tool You Must Get

The Biggest Mistakes To Avoid

Which Products Work Best?

How Professionals Remove Odor

Most Frequently Asked Question


996-0212

Do-It-Yourself

Pet Stain Removal

If you have pets, and buy one item for your home, get a wet vacuum!

I’ve been telling my clients this for years. If a pet has an accident on your carpet or upholstery, and you get to it while it is still wet, what do you do? Do you get a stack of paper towels to mash the urine into the padding? NO!

Use a simple wet vacuum or a small spot removal machine. Simply extract any liquid. This will
allow the urine to be extracted out of the fiber, instead of pushing deeper into the carpet or fabric.
Wet vacuums are available at most department stores for $20 - $70. Or, us a carpet spot removal machine. I recommend a small unit to do this step, because the more convenient the machine,
the more likely you are to get it out of the closet when a minor accident occurs. The larger, upright carpet cleaning machines are too bulky for small problems, break down all the time, and hardly do much good for larger areas anyway.

After you have removed all the liquid you possibly can, treat the area with a proper enzymatic
cleaning solution.

The big mistake most pet owners make is adding the wrong type of spot remover to a urine spot
before they remove the urine. Doing this will give you a puddle of urine with some spot remover in it. This is hardly considered cleaning. Make sure you remove any liquid matter BEFORE adding a spot remover.

What cleaning agents to use AFTER the liquid has been removed?

An enzymatic solution or enzymes specifically for urine, feces, and vomit are the best cleaning
agent to use. You must use an enzyme for any spot that isn’t fresh. After trying numerous
enzymes on the market, we have found one that is made by an all-natural chemical manufacturer called Bi-O-Kleen to be the absolute best. The specific enzyme contained in Bi-O-Kleen’s Bac-Out
is specially formulated to digest or eat up the metabolic protein in urine. The metabolic proteins are what causes odor in urine.

It can be used on carpet, upholstery, wood, and any water washable surface. There are many enzymes on the market. Some work well, some do not.

You can also dilute 1 cup of white distilled vinegar with two cups of water. The acid base of the

vinegar will help removal of a fresh spot, but it won’t actually digest any of the urine proteins. A neutral

pH spotting agent works well for general cleaning of the spot as well. Bi-O-Kleen has a neutral pH product called Spray and Wipe for this purpose.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE THESE SPOTTERS ON URINE OR VOMIT

Never use any high pH or high residue product. This would include ammonia and Resolve carpet spotter.
I have seen many instances where the wrong product caused a urine to be permanent. The use of oxygen bleach is also risky on many carpets.

Removing the Urine Stain

After you have extracted the liquid, treated the spot with an enzyme, you will still have a stain on
the carpet. You will need to rinse the spot before it becomes a permanent stain. Use plain water to rinse the spotting agent out.

If you have a spot removal machine that allows you to rinse with water, put plain water with no detergent in

the tank. Lightly rinse the area and follow with several dry vacuum passes. The carpet should feel only slightly damp to the touch. If you have a wet vacuum, sprinkle plain water on the area and extract with the

wet vacuum.

If urine stays in the carpet or upholstery for an extended period of time, it WILL permanently stain. Even

worse, it will eventually eat away the backing of the fiber and destroy the carpet or upholstery. Not to mention the obvious unhealthy situation and odor the urine will cause.

The best thing you can do for any type of pet accident is to remove it immediately. The longer the problem
stays in the fiber, the worse the problem becomes. Professional cleaning is still necessary for overall maintenance to prolong the life of your investment, and maintain a high level of indoor air quality. If you cannot remove the stain or odor, call us immediately at 996-0212.

The techniques discussed in this forum work well for any urine, vomit, or feces spot on carpet,
rugs, or upholstery. ALWAYS pre-test any spotting agent before using the product on any carpet, fabric, or any surface.

4 Easy Steps To Remove Any Pet Accident

Do it NOW. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove.
Use the right equipment. Use a wet vacuum or a small carpet spotting machine to remove the liquid portion
Use the proper cleaning agent AFTER the liquid has been removed.
Rinse the spot with plain water.

Disclaimer: Use these techniques at your own risk. Be aware that pet accidents can damage fibers. Pre-test each solution in an inconspicuous area before using. If the stain or odor persists,
can a professional at 996-0212.

How Your Pet Odor Problems Can Be Professionally Solved!

We perform three professional procedures for combating pet odor.

Bi-O-Kleen enzymes are used for very minor odor problems and stains.
For moderate odors we will flood the areas with an anti-microbial agent and use the water
claw, a sub-surface extractor. This actually pulls urine from the padding of the carpet
Major odors require replacing the padding, treating the carpet face and the floor underneath. Application of an anti-odor barrier, and replacement of pad is necessary.

Illustration of the water claw procedure

Most Frequently Asked Question

Can you remove pet urine stains on carpet or upholstery?

At Clean Sweep Services, we have a success rate of about 80%. However, pet urine can cause permanent damage to textiles as well as create an unhealthy indoor living environment if not removed promptly. When urine is first deposited onto a carpet or fabric, it is in an acid state. This means it is easier to remove when it is fresh. As time passes and it dries, urine becomes a strong alkaline (thus the ammonia odor) and becomes increasingly difficult to remove. If left for weeks or months, depending on the fiber type, it could permanently damage the dye structure of the carpet fiber or fabric, then causing it to deteriorate. To prevent permanent staining, clean urine spots immediately.

Dear Pet Lover,

I hope this guide helps you in being able to handle accidents. If you have animals inside your
home, it's bound to happen sooner or later. We have years of experience with our clients and
our pets. Remember, carpet makers and the EPA recomment cleaning every 6-12 months.

Jeremy Fehrman
"Pet Owner & Animal Lover"
President of Clean Sweep Services, Inc.